“If people only knew how hard I’ve worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.”― MICHELANGELO, MASTER SCULPTOR, PAINTER, ARCHITECT AND POET
Good luck to our student who have exams this week! It’s always a nerve-wracking time to be working hard on something you want to do well at, but there’s plenty of brain-healthy ways to adapt to the grind and give it your best.
It’s all about finding the balance to work hard. A bit of stress is good to motivate yourself. Too much can be crushing.
When you’re too stressed, get perspective. An exam is just a way to show your knowledge and hard work that you have done this year! No matter how you do in the exam, life will keep moving.
It may feel astronomically big, but that’s just because you’ve been focusing on it, like a telescope on one star while the rest of the sky will be your whole life.
Study Tips for the Days Before Your Exam
Your brain learns best by being stimulated and taking time to absorb!
- Study with friends.
Study groups boost confidence and good habits, good resilience for the exam week!
- Explain it to someone else.
Teaching friends or explaining to family gives you an entirely new perspective on the same material.
- Look at past tests.
Knowing how the exam process will be is invaluable to your revision.
- Don’t study one topic too long.
Change topics every 30 minutes or so to prevent learning fatigue.
- Avoid cramming, even on the last day.
The temptation to cram will be strong, but it really only hurts. Check your most important notes the morning of the exam, but don’t cram outside the exam hall – you’ll only gain stress.
Planning Your Exam Day
- Start the day right.
Do your braincare – laugh at something, get a full night’s sleep, eat a good breakfast, hydrate. Bring everything you need. Get in early to keep your stress down. - Read the exam instructions.
Take a minute to soak in, and plan time for tackling each question. - Don’t worry about panicking.
It’s okay, it happens to a lot of students. Count some deep breaths. Break down the problem and take it one small bit at a time. Try and think logically. - Attempt every answer.
Leaving an answer completely empty will leave a lot of points off the table. Even half an essay will get you some scoring. - Proofread if you have time.
Make sure you put all necessary information as well, like your personal details. - Finish and forget.
Well done! Now, try not to spend too long thinking about how you did. It’s out of your hands now – time to think about the next one!
Having plans like this can be huge for your confidence, so give it your all. We believe in you!
Get a nice treat ready for yourself to come back to after all that.